Health Minister facing backlash over CervicalCheck Programme

Health Minister Simon Harris is facing backlash over the level of uncertainty regarding the CervicalCheck Programme.

6,000 women will receive letters next week asking them to take another smear test as their original one was made unreliable due to being delayed.

We need a comprehensive explanation from Minister Simon Harris in relation to the latest Cervical Check revelations. And why he acted against advice. His and the Taoiseach’s failure to inform the Dáil and the public on a matter of deep public interest only compounds the problem.

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) January 24, 2019

Fianna Fáil TD Lisa Chambers said the Health Minister must tack the confusion immediately:

"Now, because of the backlog, it's taking in excess of six months to actually get results back to women.

"I want the Health Minister to come before the Oireachtas, to come before the Dáil, to make a statement as to what exactly happened, what he knew, when he knew it and when this became abundantly clear that there were huge problems with the test back in November, why didn't he inform the Dáil back then?

"Secondly, we don't have a clinical lead for cervical checks following the resignation of the lead last year and we need to see leadership within the program .

"A clinical lead needs to be appointed immediately."